Genesis star happy to revisit old times at Sheffield show

Jon Ball

A true rock’n’roll hall of famer is preparing to step back in time to celebrate a special anniversary of a famous album of the 1970s – while on a mission to curb violence around the world.

A true rock’n’roll hall of famer is preparing to step back in time to celebrate a special anniversary of a famous album of the 1970s – while on a mission to curb violence around the world.

Steve Hackett brings his Genesis Revisited with Classic Hackett tour to Sheffield to mark 40 years of Wind and Wuthering – his last album with the famous prog-rockers before leaving to pursue a solo career.

The 67-year-old says: “I’m thrilled to bring my latest show of Genesis and Hackett numbers to the UK, adding additional numbers such as One for the Vine and celebrating the 40th anniversary of Wind and Wuthering, one of my favourite Genesis albums and popular with Genesis fans the world over.”

The show follows a successful 2015-16 tour and sees Steve and his band return with a “different set of Genesis and solo material”.

As well as highlights from Wind and Wuthering, Steve and his band – keyboard player Roger King, drummer Gary O’Toole, saxophonist Rob Townsend, bassist Nick Beggs and vocalist Nad Sylvan on vocals – promise big favourites such as The Musical Box as well as Genesis numbers never performed by them before, such as Inside & Out and Anyway.

“I have some influence, but I would like to have more, just to get people not to shoot each other.

Steve Hackett

The tour will also introduce numbers from Steve’s new album, The Night Siren, with favourites from Steve’s solo career, including The Steppes, Serpentine, Every Day and never previously performed Rise Again.

And Steve, who was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010, is particularly proud of his new album,his 25th studio long-player.

It features artists and instruments from across the world, including vocalists Kobi Farhi and Mira Award,, from Israel and Palestine respectively, a sitar from India and a Peruvian charango.

He says: “I have made friends all over the world. They all wanted to work with me at some time, so I said ‘okay’.

“We have had 20 people from all over the world, from Israel and Palestine for example, working together and having a ball and having fun.”

But despite all the fun, the album has a serious message behind it, demonstrating how music can transcend cultural borders and barriers, while there are political messages behind some of the songs.

Steve says: “We realised we had done something which had a particular message to it. It promotes unity in a divided world.

“The album demonstrates 20 people from different places can get on”

The first track on the album, Behind the Smoke, highlights the historical plight of refugees – “my family came from refugees escaping relgious persecution in Poland 100 years ago” – while West to East reflects on the effects of war “and the idea of a peaceful solution, fellowship and unity, and the world just getting on, people finding common ground”.

And Steve says he is enjoying “being listened to for the first time”.

“Maybe it comes with age,” he says. “I have been around for a long time.

“I have some influence, but I would like to have more, just to get people not to shoot each other.

“When I grew up in the 60s, artists like Bob Dylan and Marlene Dietrich were singing protest songs.

“It’s music’s job to soothe, but also to make you think as well.”

But despite his enthusiasm to get his message out, Steve knows fans coming to the Wednesday’s show at Sheffield City Hall will want to hear the hits as well.

Talking about the tour, he says: “We’ll do three tracks from the new album and a number of favourites that fans have asked for.

“It’s also the 40th vbirthday of Wind & Wuthering, so there’s a fair number of Genesis songs from 1977.

“We do authentic versions of these songs.

“I do what I consider to be the best music,”

Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisited with Classic Hackett is at Sheffield City Hall on Wednesday, May 3. For tickets, visit www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk

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